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Ruling for “5 bottles of champagne”: the case of former Judge Volodymyr Bulka

  • Date of commencement of the case: 08/10/2019
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Ruling for “5 bottles of champagne”: the case of former Judge Volodymyr Bulka Ruling for “5 bottles of champagne”: the case of former Judge Volodymyr Bulka

Case description

On March 13, 2024, the HACC sentenced Volodymyr Bulka, former judge of Ivano-Frankivsk Commercial Court, for extorting EUR 5,000 in bribes for extending the term of office of the insolvency officer of Zhyvytsia PJSC in a bankruptcy case. 

In August 2018, the NABU caught Bulka red-handed at the Dinaris billiard club in Ivano-Frankivsk when he was taking the second part of the bribe. The former judge promised not to replace the insolvency officer with one who would sell the property of the bankrupt company in the “right” way for “5 bottles of champagne.”

 

The detainee pleaded not guilty and stated that he had been provoked to commit the crime by the chair of the board of Zhyvytsia PJSC with the assistance of law enforcement officers. However, the court, taking into account his activity, initiative in calling and organizing meetings, and disguised requests for bribes, found that there was no provocation.

The chair of the board of Zhyvytsia PJSC, subject to bankruptcy proceedings, was a whistleblower in this case. After the first offer of a bribe, he contacted the SSU Main Department for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, and then filed a statement with the NABU. According to the chair of the board, he understood from the context of the conversation that it concerned thousands of dollars. He contacted the law enforcement agencies because of a direct demand for large amounts of money, so he wanted to stop this process as early as possible.,   

Bulka’s actions were qualified under Article 368, part 3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and he was sentenced to 6 years in prison with confiscation of all property, and was deprived of the right to hold the positions of a judge, a prosecutor, or an attorney-at-law for 3 years. In his last speech, Bulka repented: “I will live with this until the end of my days. Every day I regret my actions. If I could turn back time, I would never have committed such a shameful act.”

Back in 2018, when the crime was exposed, Bulka resigned, and the HCJ decided on his retirement with a lifetime allowance. Once the verdict comes into force, the resignation and allowance payments shall be terminated.

  • Proceeding No.: 42018000000001520
  • Case No.: 344/2364/19
  • Incriminated: Article 368, part 3
Instance Key parties Instance /Key parties:
HACC AC
18/04/2024

Panel of judges: Nykyforov A.S.

HACC
08/10/2019

Panel of judges: Halabala M.V., Kryklyvyi V.V., Nohachevskyi V.V.

Lawyer: Honchariuk T.V., Peliuka S.S.

Prosecutor: Kozachyna S.S.

CCC
23/09/2019

Panel of judges: Sviatska O.V., Vus S.M., Chystyk A.O.

Prosecutor: Makar O.I.

Infographics

THE CASE OF VOLODYMYR BULKA

Volodymyr Bulka, former judge from Ivano-Frankivsk, asked for a EUR 5,000 bribe to extend powers of an insolvency officer. 6 years later the court sent him to prison for 6 years.

  • pic
    March–August 2018
    The judge made an offer and received a bribe from the chair of the company’s board.
  • August 7, 2018
    The SSU and NABU detained former judge Volodymyr Bulka while he was receiving the second part of the bribe.
  • pic
    August 8, 2018
    The judge was served with a suspicion notice.
  • August 29, 2018
    Kyiv Court of Appeal overturned the ruling of the first instance court and imposed an interim measure on Bulka in the form of night-time house arrest.
  • September 10, 2018
    Bulka resigned as judge.
  • September 25, 2018
    The HCJ dismissed Volodymyr Bulka as a judge of the Commercial Court of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast due to his resignation.
  • September 26, 2019
    The Criminal Court of Cassation sent criminal proceedings from Ivano-Frankivsk City Court to the HACC.
  • pic
    March 13, 2024
    The HACC found Bulka guilty and sentenced him to 6 years with confiscation of property.
  • April 18, 2024
    The judge-rapporteur of the HACC Appeals Chamber opened the appeal proceedings following the defense counsel’s complaint.

Decisions from the Register

Case No. Court Decision date Decision type
344/2364/19 CCC 23/09/2019
344/2364/19 CCC 23/09/2019
344/2364/19 CCC 26/09/2019
344/2364/19 HACC 08/10/2019 On the appointment of a preparatory court hearing
344/2364/19 HACC 16/01/2020
344/2364/19 HACC 17/01/2020
344/2364/19 HACC 30/01/2020 On the appointment of a trial
344/2364/19 HACC 19/11/2020
344/2364/19 HACC 04/02/2021
344/2364/19 HACC 26/05/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 24/06/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 03/08/2022 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 29/09/2022 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 29/09/2022 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 06/10/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 06/10/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 06/10/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 06/10/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 06/10/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 06/10/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 21/11/2022 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 07/12/2022 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 08/12/2022
344/2364/19 HACC 20/12/2022 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 11/01/2023 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 31/01/2023 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 23/02/2023
344/2364/19 HACC 23/02/2023 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 23/02/2023
344/2364/19 HACC 09/03/2023
344/2364/19 HACC 09/03/2023
344/2364/19 HACC 30/03/2023
344/2364/19 HACC 30/03/2023
344/2364/19 HACC 15/11/2023 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC 13/03/2024 Verdicts, Decision to cancel the seizure of property
344/2364/19 HACC AC 17/04/2024 On leaving the appeal without action
344/2364/19 HACC AC 17/04/2024 On the return of the appeal
344/2364/19 HACC AC 18/04/2024 Opening of appeal proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC AC 23/04/2024 Decision on the implementation of remote court proceedings
344/2364/19 HACC AC 25/04/2024 On changing the interim measure for the accused
344/2364/19 HACC AC 25/04/2024 On changing the interim measure for the accused
344/2364/19 HACC AC 25/04/2024
344/2364/19 HACC AC 26/04/2024 Completion of the preparation and appointment of the appeal hearing
344/2364/19 CCC 09/07/2024 On the completion of preparation and appointment of the cassation hearing
344/2364/19 HACC AC 16/07/2024 On changing the interim measure for the accused
344/2364/19 HACC AC 16/07/2024 On changing the interim measure for the accused
344/2364/19 HACC AC 08/10/2024
344/2364/19 HACC AC 08/10/2024
344/2364/19 CCC 22/10/2024
344/2364/19 CCC 24/10/2024
344/2364/19 CCC 24/10/2024
344/2364/19 HACC AC 06/11/2024 Completion of the preparation and appointment of the appeal hearing